Tank and cistern for supplying locomotives



UNITED STATMFTENT OFFICE. l y

ANGUS W'. MCDONALD, OF NEW' CREEK DEPOT, VIRGINIA.`

TANK AND CISTERN FOR SUPPLYING LOCOMOTIVES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,998, dated November 28, 1854.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, ANGUs W. MoDoN- ALD, of New Creek Depot, in the county of Hampshire, in the State of Virginia, have invented a new and improved watertank, (from which to supply locomotive engine-boilers with water,) and a new and improved cistern from which to replenish my said tank and any other in common use in the United States, and a mode or plan of so connect-ing by pipes or hose my said tank or any other now in common use with my cist-ern that when such connection is formed as devised and perfected by the opening of the proper valve water may be taken from my cistern (or any other construct-ed upon the same principle and placed in like relation to the tank) and such tank therewith replenished while it is rapidly passing such cistern, and my tank may, when it is desirable so to do, be replenished from` other sources than my cistern by the use of my plan or device of forming a connection (by pipes, hose &c. or their equivalents) of my tank with the water which is to be taken and such water be drawn from any cistern, river, pool, or other body of it, over or under and near which such tank for the time may be, provided the level of the water to be taken be not so far below the level of the tank that the pressure of the atmosphere will be insuHicient to expel the air which may be in the connecting pipe or hose and torce the water into the tank, it having been previously rendered an eX- hausted receiver, to the extent it is intended to replenish it, to which invention or inventions I give the title of The underway self-replenishing locomotive-tank and roadside cistern, and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a side view of cistern, tank, and pipe and hose. Fig. 2 is a top view of same, and of a double track of rail road, the cistern being located between the two tracks, and at equal distance from each. Fig. 3, is a perpendicular side view of a section of the cistern, cut through the trough of it, next to the tank, along the middle of the guide way in said trough, by a plain passed parallel to `or artificial head is to be let, in such regulated and controlled supply, as to revent it from rising in the cistern beyond the required height) and two troughs of equal dimensions, leading each way from the pit,

along and parallel to the track of the r0ad,

upon which the tank is to be transported. These troughs are separated at their top from each other, by a thin partition, in which, at the bottom, there are many open spaces, to permit a free ow of water from one into the other. The object of this partition is to confine the water at the surface, within the limits of the trough, made narnower at the top by this partition. This trough, or these troughs, being filled by the water from the head, coming in throughthe pit, or by pipes entering the bottom of it or them. Through the center, or rather the middle of each of these troughs, there is a, b, guideway along which travels and is kept in place, a wheel which sustains the troughpipe. This guide-way commences on the outside and at each end of the trough, leading into, through and out of each trough, by

an inclined way in each directionat the same angle to the horizon, these guide ways along their whole len th, and lower in the middle, than at the sides, with a uniform inclination from the sides to the middle line of each. The object of which, is to incline s is one of the open spaces in the partition,

between the troughs.

f is the tank.

g is the trough pipe, L the tank-pipe, through which the water is passed from the trough pipe into the tank, or through hose into the tank.

z' is also a similar tank-pipe, but exhibited in the drawing with a section of hose attached, instead of the trough-pipe.

71 is the section of hose attached to the trough pipe. 'It should have Z, a metal mouth always open to admit the water in which it may be immersed.

m is a pipe through which the water is drawn from the tank, by the engine, and pumped into the boiler. Y

` I may here remark, that when the tank is carried upon a tender, and not upon the same platform or wheels that support the engine and boiler, the connection between this pipe (mi) and the pumping apparatus of the engine, should be by an incompressible (to suchran extent, at least as thata suflicient flow of water through it to supply the boiler shall not be obstructed) but flexible pipe. n marks the position of the two valves, commanding respectively the communications between their respective tankvpipes (under each of which, one of these valves is placed) and the tank opening such communication when the arrangement is made to receive water into the tank, and closing or breaking the connection when the "tank is replenished; if it be intended to make it an exhausted receiver, and be so used.

0 is a ball valve, provided for the escape of air and surplus water which may be forced into the tank, and closing as soo-n as such surplus water is pumped out of the tank.

VI here remark, that in the modeland drawing, I have filed,-the tank exhibited being a vregular figure, but one such valve, situated or placed upon the highest part of the tank, is needed-but if for any purpose, the tank should be made with its upper outline irregular, more than one such Avalve would be rendered necessary. V 1

l p is a small met-al wheel fixed under the mouth of the trough-pipe, upon which said pipe presses when it is let down to take in water-and the strain which it would have bear when passing through vthe water-being in a great degree relieved by this wheel, which is fixed and intended to run upon the middle of the guide-way, through and out of the trough, and will protect the troughpipe in case the engineer shall neglect to draw it up to its proper position.

g is a cord passed over a roller fixed in the plat-form, one end of which, is fastened within reach of the engineer, and the other attached to the upper part ofthe trough pipe, near its mouth-the length of this cord should be only sufficient to permit the guide wheel fastened below the mouth of the' as the trough-pipe emerges from the trough.

(having taken in'water) to draw this pipe into a horizontal position, under the projecting edge of the platform of the tender and then secure it till it may be necessary again-to replenish the tank. When it should be let down at a point where the guide wheel would strike the inclined guide-way (6) out side the trough, then ascending it, to the trough and descending it, gradually immersing the mouth of the pipe. Y'

r indicates the rails of a double-track rail road, upon which, the tank, when used on a rail road, will travel.

Having then described the several parts of my invention or inventions, and how those parts or most of them should be constructed and operated, I will proceed to show how the results aimed at, are to be obtained through my invention or inventions.

My cisterns should be provided along the line of the road, upon which,'a tank is to be transported and from/time totime replenished as the water isy taken from it by the yor as nearly so, as may be expedient.) They mav be built of any suitable material. The pit of the cistern should decend so far beneath the level of the earths surface, as that the water in the lower portion of the pit, may be expected not to freeze-and so high above the level of the roads surface, as to allow the water in them, and of course in the trough, which I regard as a portion of the cistern, to stand nearly, if not on a level with the water in the tanks when full, and along side of the cistern. y

The cistern should be built near the road: say, within one foot of the line of travel, and the troughs parallel to it. Their height shouldbe such, as not to be an obstruction to the platforms of the carriage, which may travel on the road.

The length of the troughs (their width being restricted within certain limits, if placed between the double tracks of a rail road) will depend upon the size of the tanks to be filled, and the capacity of the connectingpipe, through which the water is to pass from the cistern into the tanks-and the size of the tank will be considered in ascertaining the vnumber of cisterns, which should be built to accommodate a given road.

The tank may be of any convenient form, and carried either upon the same carriage with the boiler, or upon a tender attached to it. It should be constructed of such material and strength as will be sufficient to resist the pressure of the atmosphere, when the water is pumped out of it, and the valves, (which, when open, and designed to admit water into the tanks) being closed, the said tank, becomes an exausted receiver.

The tankpipes and trough-pipes, should be of metal and suficiently strong and rigid, to withstand the strain to which they will be subjected, when taking in water from my cistern, in passing the same at speed. The valves nicely adjusted, easily opened and closed, by means of connections with them, placed within reach of the engineer, when at his proper station upon the locomotive.

The tank with its valves, thus constructed and provided with the required connecting pipes and hose-and cisterns described-established along the road intended to be traveled, may be filled for the first time, through any of the valves, such being opened for that purpose and being filled and the connecting pipes brought into connection with the pumping apparatus of the engine, the fires and lighted, steam created, and the lifelike locomotive is started upon its journey. The first revolution of its wheels (if the engineer so wills it) draws a portion of the water, from the tank and forces it into the boiler, and so each successive one, till we may assume. that half the water which filled the tank, has been so drawn from it, and to that extent (the valves having all been closed) the space in the tank, which this water had occupied, has become an exhausted receiver, or the tank to the extent the water has so been drawn from it, has become an exhausted receiver. At this point of time, for the purpose of illustration, we will suppose, that an accident has happened, which so long delays the engine that the water in the tank and boiler, will be insufficient to furnish a supply to the boiler, till it reaches one of the established cisterns. The engine again moves on its way, intending to. supply the tank from the first water within reach. It shortly arrives at a point, where a stream is being crossed: the engine is halted when over the stream, and it is ascertained that the surface of the water in -the stream, is about twenty feet below the level, at 'which the water will stand in the tank when filled. To fill the tank from this stream, a section of hose (7c) of sufiicient length which has been provided for such occasionsthe trough-pipe (a) being detached, the hose (lo) is substituted for the occasion, in its stead, the hose is unrolled.l and its metal mouth, always open, descends below the surface: the valve, is then opened, and the exhausted tank will be replenished by the operation of the atmospheric pressure upon the surface of the water in the stream. The tank being replenished, the open valve is again closed, the hose drawn up, and the engine proceeds again upon its journey.

When near one of the established cisterne,

the engineer prepares to replenish vhis tank-without diminishing his speed for that purpose, he takes hold of the cord, (y) which having been drawn tight, has held the trouglrpipe in a horizontal position, and stands ready to lower his pipe upon the inclined guide-plain, as soon as it is reached. Upon reaching it, he slackens the cord and the pipe, turning by its own weight upon the well adjusted hinge or joint around the tank pipe, the guide wheel under the mouth of the trough pipe falls upon the inclined guide plain, rolls up it and then down it into the trough, the mouth of the trough pipe, becoming gradually immersed in the water, in the trough; so soon as it is entirely immersed the engineer opens the valve (n) and the water rushes into the exhausted receiver at a speed exceeding probably, the rate per mile at which the tank may be traveling and such speed is lessened in proportion as the line at which the water has to pass from the trough into the tank is more tortuous and indirect. When the tank is filled, it will be indicated by the passage of the water through the ball valve, and the engineer may then close the valve (n) and so soon as the mouth of the trough-pipe is cleared of the water, as

it mounts the inclined guide-way (b,) he

may draw his cord, (g) tight, and fastening it, again secure the trough-pipe in a horizontal position, and thus the tank is filled, while it is speeding on its journey. And if my cistern is used, and the tank and trough-pipe, guide wheel and cord, or their mechanical equivalents, and attached to a tank of the kind now in common use, and such tank placed low enough, it may in like manner be filled in passing the cistern at speedthe water from fthe cistern being forced, if the progressive motion of the trough pipe through it is rapid enough into and up said pipe and through the tank pipe into the tankand I leave it to experience to decide up the expediency of 'constructing my tanks, which may be made eX- hausted receivers, or not, at the pleasure of the engineer; or adopting a tank of any commonly used form and improving it by my attachments of pipes, cord and guide wheel, or their mechanical equivalents, by the operating of which: tanks of either description in proper position, in relation to my cistern, may be replenished from my cistern, whenpassing it under speed.

The facility of thus replenishing tanks, hay render it expedient to dispense with the use of large tanks, saving thus, the carrying of unnecessary weight, or the occupation of space, which may be otherwise more profitably filled, and room be readily found upon the same carriage, u on which the engineer and boiler are carrie -to place also, such reduced tank in contact perhaps with the boiler or furnace, where the advantage of keeping the water in the tank at least warm, if not hot, might be attained.

What l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A water tan (from which to supply locomotive-steam engine boilers with Water) so constructed thatI it may become at the will of the engineer in charge of it an exhausted receiver, as the water is pumped out of it by the engine and when so exhausted, may be replenished through the pipes, hose, &c., with which I provide it, or other equivalent mechanical agents, either when at high speed upon its way or when brought to a halt as hereinbefore explained.

2. An improvement upon the tank or tanks now in common use (for thesupply of locomotivesteam-engine boilers with water) by providing them with what I have called a tank-pipe-trough-pipe, guide wheel and (controlling) cord or other equivalent mechanical agents or aids and operated as herein before explained by which such tanks may bereplenished while moving at high speed from my cistern, as here-l in before explained. p

3. A new and improved roadside cistern constructed as vhereinbefore explained, or f in any-other equivalent mechanical arrangement to attain the sameend and located as described in relation'to the tank to be replenished, from which any tank of theconstruct-ion now commonly used, with my improvement (above hereinbefore claimed and described) attached as well as my own tank (above described and claimed) may be replenished while passing said cistern at high speed and my own tank, if in an exhausted state, may vbe replenished, either when under way at any speed or brought to a halt by the side of said cistern.

4C. My own tank in connection or combina tion with my cistern as the two have been hereinbefore explained and claimed respectively and Y 5. My improved tank-or in other words-the tank or tanks in common use, improved as hereinbefore explained and claimed-in connection or combination with my cistern-as they have been respectively and in connection or combination with each other explained and claimed above.

February 9th, 1854.

ANGUS lW. MCDONALD.

y Witnesses.

JAMES L. EUBANK., WM. SLIGER. 

